Shadows of a Legend
by LimitedEternity
Summary: When Dimitri was finaly returned to Rose he was a mere shadow of what he once was, broken by the deeds he had commited as a Strigoi. But no matter how he was pressed he would never reveal what he had done. What happened in that time when he was lost, finally giving in to the darkness that had followed him throughout life... and into death?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello! This is Limited with a new story on one of my favorite series Vampire Academy. However this time I will not be writing alone. I am co-writing this with my good friend secretswritethemselves! We are going to be doing it in the format of me writing one chapter and then the other writing the next with no input about where the plot is going to go. I have read a story where the authors did this and it was a lot of fun so I wanted to give it a try. The only constraints were "Write it about Dimitri's time as a Strigoi". So here it is! **

**-Limited**

* * *

People often say that when you're getting ready to die things just suddenly slow down and everything happens with an agonizing clarity with individual strands of hair whipping by and particles of dust swirled in the air. Well Dimitri could safely say that was all rubbish every single word. When your life is at stake, like it is in every battle, things just fly by. It's like your body and mind just want to fast-forward to the end of the fight like an impatient child with a good book. So the when a blond Strigoi leapt on top of him seeming to rip himself out of thin air Dimitri didn't even have time to think; he only reacted. He arms were raised just in time for impact yet, he couldn't help but notice his reaction was a little slower than it usually was. His kicks and punches as he grappled with the Strigoi were just a little weaker. And when the man suddenly threw his head forward, his fangs flashing in the waning light Dimitri knew it was all over. His limbs were deadened with fatigue and his heart was racing out of control. For the first time in a long time Dimitri felt true fear for his life, if only for an instant. His constant worry over Rose had long since become a familiar tightness in his chest whenever she was away, but this… this paralyzing of the heart and mind was something he thought he had learned to control long ago. He was a Guardian. Guardians showed no fear, they showed no weakness lest it get in the way of protecting the Moroi; but that was the text book ideal. Right then and there? He wasn't Guardian Belikov, he was Dimitri, and it would be many years before he could look back and admit to himself that yes, at that moment he had been afraid.

'No!'

The fangs sank into Dimitri's neck. It felt as though his very soul was being wrenched from his body. Blond hair and sweat obscured most of his vision as everything but a freezing pain began to fade away. He heard a faint scream as he sent one last prayer to heaven, not for his own salvation but for Rose's. He'd go to hell with a smile if it meant saving her.

'Roza…'

Dimitri's breath hitched and his limbs went slack.

'I'm sorry."

Dimitri slowly came to, still flat on his back, in a poorly lit and unfamiliar room. Where was he? He was still alive? That could only mean- His train of thought fell apart as he registered the pain radiating throughout his body. He had known agony before but never like this. It felt as though liquid nitrogen ran through every vein, piercing and destroying him from the inside out.

"I'm impressed." a voice remarked "Not a single scream." Dimitri's eyes rolled in his head as he attempted to find the speaker. "You know I almost didn't believe the others" the voice went on "when they said they had Dimitri Belikov. The vengeful angel of the Moroi in our hands with his wings" there was a short pause "clipped." He heard footsteps approach him before a figure with a mass of scarlet hair slowly came into his vision, painted red lips standing out from her pale skin. "We have already called Galina and she is on her way for you. She doesn't come all the way from Russia for just anyone you know."

Dimitri felt something deeper than physical pain twist at the sound of his old instructor's name. Galina. She had molded him into the perfect Guardian and now, it sounded as though she was going to make him into the perfect monster. But wasn't he that already? After all he had more than Strigoi blood on his conscience. With a small smile the woman lifted her hands to gently cup his cheeks and jaws, her thumbs barely skimming the surface. "Nathan is the one who turned you." Without warning she swiftly dug her fingers into his face with an inhuman strength. "But the change is taking longer for you than it does for most. I should have been the one to do it!" She hissed "I would have done it right!" Years of training suddenly undid themselves at her cruel touch. His vision blurred with pain and he screamed without thought, his whole body jerking on top of the table. He heard the sound of shouting and pounding feet but the woman paid them no mind. She merely threw her head back with a sultry laugh. "Do you feel that?" She asked "That agony and that weakness? It will be gone once you are fully awakened." Her laughter cut off abruptly as she glanced over his head, her chest heaving with excitement. "You are so _close_; I can feel your heart slow with every beat." When more Strigoi burst into the room Dimitri suddenly realized that he had never stopped screaming. One of them stepped towards her.

"Dammit Morgan, let him go! If you damage him it's all of our heads!" He snarled. Morgan's voice twisted around him like the body of a snake, her stabbing fingers making up the fangs.

"Admit it, had he woken during your babysitting shift you would have done the same." But nevertheless she lifted his head off the table only to let it go, sending him back into the realm of unconsciousness with yet another burst of pain.

This time when Dimitri woke every ache and pinprick was gone. There was no discomfort. In fact he wonderful, fantastic even. When his eyes snapped open he could easily tell room was darkened yet it was clear as day at the same time. It was inexplicable. But when he slowly sat up he noticed something was wrong. No it was more like something was… missing? Was that the word he was looking for? Dimitri's brow furrowed as he slid a hand up his shirt searching for something he knew should be there. First it went to the right, then to left a bit where he pressed his hand flat against his chest in confusion.

"Aw is sleeping beauty looking for his heart?"

Dimitri's head snapped towards a corner where a lanky figure lounged in the corner.

"Man you really aren't on point right now; you should have known I was here, even as a newborn." In a flash Dimitri had crossed the room to grab the man by the neck.

"You!" He roared recognizing the blond hair "You did this to me!"

"Did what?" The man questioned snidely "Awakened you?" With a rough shove he easily knocked Dimitri off balance and threw him across the room. "You're welcome." Dimitri slowly got up, inwardly marveling at the lack of pain from such a hit.

"I have been Awakened?" Everything that Dimitri had ever known had just been turned on his head. All his life he had been told how death was preferable to being a Strigoi, and all he life he had believed them. But this! He looked away from the other Strigoi to set a hand on the table he had been laying on. Dimitri swallowed in an attempt to soothe his dry throat before he lifted the heavy steel table without effort. This was extraordinary. With another dusty gulp he dropped it and turned his attention back to the blond.

"Done playing yet?" he asked flicking his hair out of his eyes impatiently. Dimitri may have turned away from him for a moment but he had never forgotten where he was. The last thing he would allow was for a worm like this to get the jump on him again. Dimitri wanted to be angry at him for turning him, but honestly this felt like a gift more than anything. Despite this Dimitri privately swore he would have his revenge for what happened in the cave eventually. The man smiled and the way it clashed with the malice in his eyes only made Dimitri more cautious of him than he already was.

"Name's Nathan by the way," he said haughtily "You should know the name of your sire." His smirk only widened as Dimitri's fury spread across his face like lightning. "But anyways Galina said to feed you. So I took the liberty of arranging your first dinner." Nathan quickly stepped out of the room and into another. Before he could take a step toward the door he heard a frantic shriek and Nathan was back, dragging a bruised and bloodied girl with him. He casually threw her at his feet before flicking on the light overhead. Dimitri couldn't help but take a step back as a familiar face stared up at him from the floor, his previous anger forgotten. Alexis Riley.

He knew this girl.

And from the look of pure horror in her wide brown eyes she remembered him as well. Alexis had been one of the students that were taken back to the Strigoi caves, and beyond that she had always stood out in a crowd; blue dyed hair will do that for a person. He never would have thought they would have kept her alive for so long.

Nathan hummed in approval. "A Moroi for your first meal! Not bad even if she's common." He gave another chuckle before walking away only to stop in the doorway. "Oh and by the way, if you leave this room and she's not dead," he gave them a sly look "We'll kill you both. You walked away from me once Belikov; it won't happen again."

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**A/N: I really struggled with how to portray a newly turned Dimka; I tried to picture him going instantly evil but I just couldn't. He had too many morals in life, so I decided to go with a more of a confused with hints of Strigoi that peep through. And ah arrogant Nathan, Dimitri won't be a fledgling forever, he needs to remember that. What will he do now? I don't know! Ball's in your court Secrets!**

**-Limited**


	2. Chapter 2

After Nathan left, Dimitri stood there staring at the girl, Alexis. The girl he was supposed to eat. Her face looked so innocent, yet exhausted when she was asleep. The impact from being thrown to the ground and the shock of seeing a familiar face had caused the girl to pass out.

_I won't. I refuse to become what I have hunted all my life. _Dimitri thought as he stared at the figure before him.

Unfortunately fate had some other ideas.

Dimitri cautiously approached the girl, hoping to see some sign of life: a rising and falling chest, dirt moving near her face from her breath, her heartbeat. As Dimitri closed in on the unconscious figure a new smell permeated the air; a smell that, previous to his movements had not moved from its cloud around the girl. Blood. It was then that a piece of Dimitri's resistance crumbled.

It was the smell of her blood, and the slow, hypnotizing beats of her heart that changed Dimitri's ideals. The girl, the girl he once knew, lying there unconscious was something he could ignore, but the smell of the blood wasn't. His Strigoi essence had surfaced and refused to be withdrawn. The tapping of his not quite silent shoes, ceased; the sound of his heavy breathing, gone; the swish of his clothes rubbing together as he walked, terminated.

Belikov was on the move.

But just as he was nearing the body of Alexis she stirred, and this caused something inside of Dimitri to stir as well. He stopped in his pursuit of the girl, waiting to see what she would do next. Dimitri stood waiting with baited breath. Finally, Alexis stirred again; rolling her head from side to side, groaning in pain.

As Alexis opened her eyes again first thing she saw was the cave ceiling, then the walls, and finally Dimitri, standing just feet from her sprawling body.

"Guardian Belikov!" she shouted in elation. The last thing she remembered was the Strigoi attack, and being taken, she assumed, to be a meal. She had yet to notice the tremor in his body from holding back, or the lack of chest movement, suggesting he had yet to take a breath, or the blood red irises staring back at her.

While Alexis was feeling grateful that she had found a kind soul to help her escape the Strigoi with her life, Dimitri was having an inner battle of his own. The fact the Alexis called him Guardian Belikov helped bring Dimitri back to himself, if only for a little while. However, the smell of her breath and invigorated heartbeat created a tug-of-war between the two Dimitri's.

"Guardian Belikov? Dimitri?" When Dimitri didn't answer her Alexis started to worry. Too lost in her own head she didn't hear the sound of footsteps approaching from somewhere outside the cave. Dimitri on the other hand did notice and it was the sound of those footsteps that caused his guardian instincts to temporarily win the war. Dimitri flashed over to Alexis's side, grabbed her arm and stuffed her in the back corner where he could easily fight off other Strigoi.

The footsteps slowed and quieted as they got closer to the room and so Dimitri listened harder and it was in this way that Dimitri finally heard the second step of footsteps; quiet as the night, light as a feather, almost impossible to hear. The second set of footsteps seemed as though they barely even touched the ground.

The first thing Dimitri saw was the shock of red hair, followed by the sadistic glare of Morgan. He already hated her. Hated her for what she was, how she enjoyed it, enjoyed hurting others.

_At least it isn't Nathan again, _he thought. _I've already had enough of him to last a life time. _

The second person didn't enter, but Dimitri was certain it wasn't Nathan, as he didn't have to patience or the poise to walk so silently.

Morgan's harsh voice drew Dimitri out of his thoughts. "So the girl is still alive I see."

Dimitri said nothing, but if looks could kill, she would be dead.

"Didn't Nathan warn you, or are you just too _noble_ to eat someone." Morgan's voice tore through the air around them. Her taunting reverberated in the cave. And before Dimitri could blink she was standing in front of him, their noses mere centimeters apart. "If you won't eat the girl willingly, I'll make you."

By the look in Dimitri's eyes anyone could see that he very much doubted her abilities. Just in case he still tensed, waiting for any indication that she would attempt to make a move towards Alexis, who was still cowering in the corner.

"You don't believe me do you? Think that because you were trained by Galina you're perfect? Think that there's no way I can break you?" Morgan asked as she circled him, as a predator does her pray, waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce. "Well I'm going to break you Belikov. And I'm going to take great pleasure in doing so." The last line was said while looking straight into Dimitri's eyes. He could see how serious she was. The steely vengeance present in her eyes was impossible to fake, so deeply did it run through her veins, along with the stolen blood.

Morgan had been a Moroi, in a previous life. She had been adored, doted on and cherished by many. Until one day, seemingly out of the blue, she killed her lover, boyfriend, guardian. He had been everything to her and they were inseparable. No one knew what made her do it, as by the time they found him she was long gone. He was completely drained of blood, not a drop was left. It wasn't until then that anyone even knew that she had been feeding off of him. They were never able to find her and so she was just seen as a Moroi who went crazy. Over what, no one was able to figure out, but some others had heard and seen the pair arguing over God knows what a few days previously. But they were known to fight. That's what made them so famous as a couple. They fought bitterly and frequently, yet that never stopped them from loving each other like crazy, at least in public. The theory was that, for some inconceivable reason he had threated to break it off with her and she went crazy. Guardians on watch that night say that they heard screaming and things breaking, like someone was throwing glass décor at the walls. They were going to go in to check, but figured that the two of them would be fine. After an hour the room was silent again and they assumed the two had made up and had gone to bed. Morgan was the first Moroi anyone knew of that turned willingly. It was a story told to every Guardian and every Moroi.

"Why did you do it?" Those were the first words Dimitri spoke to her.

Morgan backed away. If you looked very closely, you could see a sliver of fear flash in her eyes. "Why did I kill who? Why did I kill that worthless 'Guardian' of mine? Why did I decide to turn Strigoi?"

Dimitri gave a short nod, just enough to indicate his agreement with Morgan's questions.

"I killed him because he was the only thing holding me back. You have never tasted fresh blood Belikov, never tasted the rush you get when drink straight from the source. Even if they're willing, their bodies still have a rush. For the addicts it's a rush from our endorphins. For the others, it's an adrenaline rush; whether or not they're willing, their bodies are still scared of giving away their life supply. He didn't want me to change. He said that the Strigoi were evil and they were just poisoning my mind into think that their way was better. He wouldn't let me go, said he would hunt me down and kill me if I changed myself. And so I killed him. I had to kill someone and who better than the one who would never let me go. It was for his own good. He would waste his entire life waiting, searching, yearning for me, for someone he could never have. It would ruin his memory of me, staining it…"

It was here that Dimitri stopped listening. Stopped listening and started thinking about _her_. About Roza. His distraction for Morgan had turned into a distraction for himself. He couldn't stop his thoughts about her from spilling out; the tumbled out over each other in their haste to be remembered. Her hand in his and they walked from the cabin; the tightening in the pit of his stomach in anticipation as they talked about introducing themselves as a couple to her mother; the fright as she was almost attack by Nathan herself.

_Nathan…_ He changed things. Made him into something both she and he hated. Something they hunted and kept from hurting others. Now he was one of them. _She will come looking for me. I know she will. She will not rest until I am gone with the others…_

And suddenly Dimitri remembered. They were not alone. Alexis still cowered behind him. Her fluttering heartbeat giving her away though she tried to slow it by taking deep breaths. And the other Strigoi… there was someone else waiting just around the corner outside_. Morgan was probably supposed to get me to eat, then report back._ His stomach clenched, his body tensed and poised for action, ready for whoever was to walk around that corner.

"Hello, Dimka."

Dimitri almost relaxed. Almost gave into the soothing voice.

_Almost._

And then he remembered. No matter how well he thought he knew her. She was now a Strigoi. He knew nothing about her anymore. She was no longer his friend. All bets were off.

Dimitri looked up just as she walked through the door way.

"Hello, Galina."


End file.
